Suspect allegedly hit two cars, man

Richard Swanson

A Newport Beach man accused of hitting a pedestrian while drunk with his car in Huntington Beach over the weekend hit two more cars as he fled, including one while being stopped by police, authorities said Wednesday.

Richard Elwood Swanson, 59, seriously injured a 21-year-old at Coast Highway and Magnolia Street on Sunday evening when he ran a red light and hit the man who was crossing the street, Huntington Beach police said. The victim was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Swanson was southbound on Coast Highway and continued on toward his home in Newport Beach, where he hit two cars, Lt. Russell Reinhart said.

The suspect hit one car in Newport and kept driving when police pulled him over, Reinhart said. The suspect hit the second car as he tried to park, Reinhart said.

Swanson was arrested in February on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. He pleaded not guilty in that case and has pleaded not guilty in this most recent incident Tuesday.

Swanson is due back in court Friday for a pre-trial hearing on both cases. He's being held in Orange County jail in lieu of $165,000 bail.